Fish Report 8/8/10

Fish Report 8/8/10

Sea Bass/Flounder - Ling?

Icky

A Shark Tale

 

Hi All,

This week past was mixed; Everyday very different.

One of them, though enjoyed by most aboard, was perhaps my slowest since the water got too cold for tog back in late February.. but then we did have a fellow limit on flounder that day. And some sea bass. And some tautog.

Yeah, that February day was tougher.

Still: Fish, no matter my intention, sometimes won't bite the way we'd like.

 

Flounder & sea bass: Sending almost everyone home with plenty enough for dinner - some a lot more.

And some not enough!

 

Another day we trolled home -as we generally do given any water quality- to discover we'd created the world's largest Bimini knot.. offshore fishing knot twisted in such fashion as to be stronger than the line itself; Ours was really the world's longest tangle. A sharp rope-wrench rendered the mess fit for a trash can. Mike reloaded the reels with new hundred pound the next morning.

Good thing too.

 

Thursday we had several youngsters aboard, some of which were kin. Dad, who most call Pastor Joe, and Uncle Monty..

You reckon the boys had any luck?

They did.

Dramamine was key on this somewhat saucy day.

I have often advised 1 the night before and 1/2 in the AM followed by another 1/2 at 10 or so. Almost always works.

Unless carsickness is an issue..

Best part was that to these boys, and the others aboard, fishing wasn't "Icky."

Going into 1st grade, my youngest nephew was 100% 'Stay the heck out of my way, I'm fishing!' Baited his own hooks, took most of his own fish off..

World's changing: I suspect freedom to explore the backyard creek is diminished when it's encased in a 5 foot concrete pipe.

Hard to find a crawdad in there.

Lot of super-cool video games where icky isn't a factor too..

Ah well, I like icky - except when the fish-carcass barrels get forgotten in a 5 day nor'easter.

Man, that's too icky..

 

Very light rail Saturday; mostly regulars. Slipped offshore a bit, trolling at hull speed. Was thinking about my old friend who got bit in the White Marlin Open on an 80 wide. He watched as close to a half mile of line just melted away - zipped off the reel even with the lever pushed to full drag.

Perhaps that is why I didn't use the rods I normally do on the kites..

Chum out. Kite up --- Just one bait on a 50 wide filled 3/4s with braid and top-shotted with close to 200 yards of 100 pound test hi-vis mono.

The thirty pound class tackle lay alongside the wheelhouse, unused.

Good thing.

 

"That's a BIG hammerhead" I hollered across the stern. The fish turned on the bait like he was being filmed; A classic rise, capture and dive. Barb crushed on a 9/0 circle hook, it was game-on when he turned away.

 

Mental picture filed of tall dorsal surging, arching down; tail thrash and gone: Beautiful.

 

I handed the bent-butt to 19 year-old Walt. As I recall he's been fishing with me since he was 8 or 9.

 

Folks catching sea bass, an odd ling (red hake). Adjust anchors, catch a few more..

Rod belt - no harness - about 1 hour and ten minutes in we get a look at it: Close.

Then the shark left again. All that new line Mike had loaded was striped down into the micro-braid backing.

Again.

Young Walt was hurting.

 

Been fishing professionally 30 years now, I'd never seen such power: Just amazing.

Took pictures boatside at about an hour forty - slipped the pigtail dehooker down and sent the beast on his way..

Young man had a very clean catch and release. 'Spect I'll have to get him a citation.

 

11, 12 Feet? Derned if I know.. I can guess the little ones---which used to be regular ones---to within 10 pounds; Was this fish 250?

More I think.

 

Was a time when we'd see 30 or 40 hammerheads cruising along the surface on the full moon in June. Harpoon always ready too..

See one like that every couple years now - Let 'em all go when we catch 'em.

 

This was the biggest I'd seen.

Ever.

Still hope for that ocean.

 

Need to make sure those predators have plenty to eat.

Ain't.

 

Plenty to do.

Regards,

Monty

 

Capt. Monty Hawkins
mhawkins@siteone.net
Party Boat "Morning Star"
Reservation Line 410 520 2076
http://www.morningstarfishing.com/